Surgical treatment method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A chair is provided with an upper and lower pair of parallel, horizontally aligned, equispaced, bracket members which are secured to the chair armrests and legs, respectively, and are adapted to receive and releasably lockably secure a surgical treatment tray immediately forwardly of the chair as an integral part thereof. The surgical treatment tray removably holds a solution basin centrally thereof and also removably holds a suitable instrument tray on either side of the basin. A generally frontal anatomical wound is treated upon seating the patient in the chair, lockably securing the treatment tray to the occupied chair in the upper or lower position, and removably securing a surgical instrument tray to the treatment tray, advantageously on the side thereof opposite that of the wound being treated.

United States Patent Kerwit 1 Jan, 18, 11972 [54] SURGICAL TREATMENT METHOD 3,368,693 2/1968 Bochory ..108/26 T AND APPARA Us FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] inventor: Lawn 1,303,627 8/1961 France ..297/153 [73] Assignee: Kerwit Medical Products, Inc., Fair Lawn,

NJ. Primary Examiner-Channing L. Pace Filed: Sept. 1969 Attorney-Morgan, Finnegan, Durham 86 Pine 211 Appl. No.: 861,660 ABSTRACT A chair is provided with an upper and lower pair of parallel, 52 us. at ..297/153, 108/26, 108/144, horizontally aligned, equispaced, bracket members which are 108/152 297/118, 269/328 secured to the chair armrests and legs, respectively, and are 511 161. C1. ..A47b 39 02, A47C 13/00, A47b 9/00 adapted to receive and releasably lockably secure a surgical 581 Field 61 Search ..lO8/26,27, l52;297/118, 135, treatment v immediately forwardly of the chair as an 297/153 tegral part thereof. The surgical treatment tray removably holds a solution basin centrally thereof and also removably 56] References Cited holds a suitable instrument tray on either side of the basin. A generally frontal anatomical wound is treated upon seating the UNITED STATES PATENTS patient in the chair, lockably securing the treatment tray to the occupied chair in the upper or lower position, and 491,724 2/1893 Halsey ..297/153 removably securing a Surgical instrument tray to the treatment 1,314,060 8/1919 Hagerstrom "108/27 tray, advantageously on the side thereof opposite that of the 2,867,40! 1/1959 Sheahan.. ..297/135 X wound being treated. 3,127,215 3/1964 Hubbard. ....297/1l8 3,249,070 5/1966 Day et a1 ..108/26 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PTEYEU JMM mg 6 INVENTOR. M1 c0014 Mean Ir BACKGROUND AND OBJECT S OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention The present invenn'on relates generally to the surgical treatment of wounds to human beings, of utility especially in the treatment of wounds to the hands and feet, and relates more particularly to a novel and improved method for the surgical treatment of wounds and to a novel surgical treatment apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention.

2. Description of the Prior Art At the present time, it is the customary practice in hospital emergency rooms, nursing homes, clinics, first aid stations and the like to treat wounds to the hands and feet by placing the patient on an examination table, bed, stretcher or litter.

This practice is undesirable and disadvantageous for the reasons that it is usually unnecessary for a patient with a hand or foot wound to be lying down during treatment and, consequently, the examination table or the like is needlessly occupied with resulfing needless contamination thereof, together with sheets, covers, etc. Furthermore, an examination table, bed, stretcher or litter is an inconvenient and generally awkward location for treating a hand or foot wound, particularly for washing and cleansing the extremity.

Thus, the customary practices for treating wounds to the hands and feet are inefficient and costly in terms of medical staff time, usage of medical equipment which is needed for more serious surgical treatment and cleanup operations.

3. Objects of the Invention It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel surgical treatment method and apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel surgical treatment method and apparatus of utility especially in the surgical treatment of wounds to the hands and feet of human beings.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel surgical treatment method and apparatus which eliminates the undesirable and disadvantageous practices customarily followed at the present time in the surgical treatment of wounds to the hands and feet.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel surgical treatment method for the treatment of wounds to the hands and feet in which the patient is seated in a chair and the wound is treated from a tray secured to the front of the chair.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel surgical treatment apparatus in the form of a chair to which there is removably lockably secured a treatment tray in either an upper position, for the treatment of a hand wound, or a lower position, for the treatment of a foot wound, the treatment tray removably holding a solution basin for washing and cleansing the wound and a surgical instrument tray for treating, suturing and bandaging the wound.

Objects and advantages of the present invention are set forth in part herein and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, steps, processes and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, steps, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention is directed to a novel and improved surgical treatment method and apparatus, of utility especially for the treatment of wounds to the hands and feet of human beings.

As preferably practiced, the surgical treatment method of the invention comprises: seating a patient having a hand or foot wound in a chair; removably lockably securing a surgical treatment tray to the front of the chair in an upper position, if a'hand wound is to be treated, or a lower position, if afoot wound is to be treated; removably fixedly positioning a solution basin to the treatment tray centrally thereof; removably fixedly positioning a surgical instrument tray on the treatment tray adjacent the solution basin and on the side thereof opposite to the wounded extremity being treated; placing the wounded extremity in the solution basin so as to wash and cleanse the wound; placing the washed and cleansed extremity on the treatment tray on the side thereof opposite the surgical instrument tray; and treating, suturing and bandaging the wound with materials stored in the surgical instrument tray.

As preferably embodied, the surgical treatment apparatus of the invention comprises a suitable chair to which there is secured upper and lower pairs of parallel, horizontally aligned, equispaced hollow tubular rods, the upper pair of tubular rods being comprised by the hollow armrests of the chair and the lower pair of tubular rods being secured to the chair legs. The tubular rods open on the front side of the chair and each pair of rods is adapted to slidably telescopically receive a corresponding pair of parallel rods secured to and extending perpendicularly outwardly from a surg'cal treatment tray in planar alignment, to thereby locate and mount the treatment tray adjacent the front side of the chair, in either an upper or lower position, as an integral part thereof. Advantageously, at least one tubular rod of each pair of rods secured to the chair includes detent means lockably securing the treatment tray in the desired position.

The surgical treatment tray has an aperture formed therethrough adapted to removably fittingly receive a solution basin of suitable size and shape therein, such that the bottom of the basin extends through the aperture and the rim thereof rests on the tray top adjacent the edge of the aperture. The aperture is formed in the center of the tray and means are provided on either side thereof for removably holding a surgical instrument tray onto the top of the treatment tray. As preferably embodied, this means comprises an elongated flat plate which normally lies against the side edge of the tray with its longitudinally extending edges flush with both the top and bottom surfaces of the tray, and which may be lifted to a raised position to form a side rail which cooperates with the basin rim to hold the surgical instrument tray in place. Alternate embodiments for this means include magnets, suction cups or Velcro mounting strips secured to the top of the treatment tray, with corresponding magnets, suction cups or Velcro mounting strips secured to the bottom of the instru' ment tray, to the extent required.

It will be apparent from the foregoing general description that the objects of the invention herein specifically enumerated are achieved and, in particular, that the undesirability and disadvantages of the prior art practices are completely eliminated. Thus, there is provided a novel ll, 13, and apparatus for the surgical treatment of wounds to the hands or feet in which the patient is 8, 9. in a chair, eliminating all usage and resultant contamination of examination tables, l7, l8 stretchers or litters. 8, 9 providing a treatment tray which includes a solution basin in the center thereof and a surgical instrument tray on the side of the basin opposite to the extremity being treated, and which is removably lockably secured to the front of the chair in either an upper or lower position, a wound to either hand or foot,'or both, may be fully and conveniently treated with thepatient sitting in the chair throughout treatment.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the followingdetailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof. Thus, while the surgical treatment method and apparatus of this invention is particularly adapted to and was primarily designed for use in the surgical treatment of wounds to the hands or feet, the principles underlying the objects of the invention are not limited to such usage.

Thus, the surgical treatment chair may advantageously be used to treat any wound to the frontal anatomy of a human being which does not require that the patient be in a reclining position. However, since the invention is particularly adaptable to usage forthe treatment of wounds to the hands and feet, reference will be made hereinafter thereto in order to provide an example of a practical and useful embodiment of the invention.

The accompanying drawings, referredto herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate the preferred practices and embodiments of the invention, and together withthe description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 ,is a perspective view of a surgical treatment apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, the view illustrating, in solid lines, a surgical treatment tray mounted to the front side of a chair in the upper position and having a cleansing solution basin fittingly received therein and a surgical instrument tray held to the top thereof and, in dotted lines, the surgical treatment tray mounted to the front side of the chair in the lower position prior to carrying the solution basin on instrument tray;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view, in reduced size, of the surgical treatment tray shown in FIG. 1, the view illustrating the mounting arrangement for the tray mounting rods;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, in reduced size, of the surgical treatment tray shown in FIG. "1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, partly fragmentary, of a first alternative embodiment of the surgical treatment tray of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a second alternative embodiment of the surgical treatment tray of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a third alternative embodiment of the surgical treatment tray of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the embodiments of the apparatus of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a surgical treatment apparatus, designated generally by reference numeral 1, including a suitable chair, designated generally 2, and a surgical treatment tray, designated generally 3, mounted to the front of chair 2, the latter having mounted thereto, as seen in solid lines, a cleansing solution basin 4 and a surgical instrument tray 5.

Chair 2 may be of any suitable conventional construction, including a back 6, seat 7, arm rests 8, 9, and front and back legs 10, I1 and l2, 13, respectively, and advantageously is of sufi'lcien't size and strength so as to comfortably seat a wide range of persons therein.

In accordance with the invention; means are provided for locating and removably mounting the surgical treatment tray 3 adjacent the front side of chair 2.

To this end, the horizontally aligned, parallel arm rests 8, 9 are of hollow, tubular construction, the inner surface of which is of circular cross section, and are adapted to telescopically slidably receive a corresponding pair of parallel rod members 15, 16 secured to and extending perpendicularly outwardly from the surgical treatment tray 3, more fully described hereinafter. Also, as here preferably embodied, a pair of parallel, horizontally aligned,hollow tubular rod members 17, 18 having inner surfacesof circular cross section, are suitably secured to the sides of opposed sets of aligned legs l0, l2 and 11, 13, 1l2respectively, beneath the chair seat '7 and spaced apart adistance equalto the distance. between arm rests 8,9.

As; will be seen from FIG. 1, equal spacing between hollow rods .1 7,I8 and arm-rests 8,9 is advantageously achieved by securing hollow rod 17 to the inside surfaces of legs '10, 12 and hollow rod 18 to'the outside surfaces of legs 11, 13.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that, by providing an upper and lower pair of locating andmounting means, in the form of hollow arm rests 8, 9 and hollow rod members 17, I8,

chair in the upper position for treatment of a hand-wound, or other wound to the upper frontal anatomy, and is mounted in the lower position for treatment of afoot wound, or other wound to the lower frontal anatomy.

Advantageously, and as preferably embodied, detent means are provided for lockably securing the surgical treatment tray to the chair in the desired location immediately adjacent the front thereof. Thismeans may suitably comprise .a springpressed pin member 20, mounted to each of arm rest 9 and hollow rod 18 and. extending into the inner hollow area thereof, and adapted to engage spaced locating holes 21 in the treatment tray rod member 16.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a surgical treatment tray for use in treating wounds to human beings, which includes central aperture means adapted to removably fittingly receive a cleansing solution basin therein; means on opposite sides of said aperture means for removably holding a surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray; and means for mounting said surgical treatment tray adjacent the front side of a chair.

To this end, as preferably embodied, surgical treatment tray 3 is provided with a rectangular, approximately square, generally centrally located, opening 25 which receives a suitable basin 4 therein in close, fitted relationship so that the lip or rim 27 of the basin rests on the tray top surface 28 immediately adjacent the edge of opening 25. Advantageously, the tray opening 25 is of sufiicient size and shape so that, when the basin 4 is fitted therein, a person's entire foot may be placed in the basin and be fully immersed in cleansing solution, if desired.

As previously mentioned, a pair of parallel rod members 15, 16 are secured to and extend perpendicularly outwardly from the surgical treatment tray 3, for mounting the tray adjacent the front side of a chair. As here preferably embodied, as best seen in FIG. 2, rod members 15, 16 are secured by suitable clamps 30 to the bottom surface 31 of the tray 3. In addition, rod 16 includes a foot portion 32 which extends perpendicularly towards rod 15 on one side of opening 25 and a separate bar 33 extends transversely between rods l5, 16 on the side of opening 15 opposite the foot portion 32. Foot 32 and bar 33 are also clamped to tray 3 and serve to brace the tray about the opening 25 therein.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, in a first embodiment of the surgical treatment tray, magnets 35 are mounted to the top surface 28 of the treatment tray, advantageously embedded so as to be flush with surface 28, on opposite sides of opening 25, so as to removably hold the surgical instrument tray 5 to the treatment tray 3 on either side of basin 4. Advantageously, instrument tray 5 is formed of a suitable metal, such as stainless steel. However, it will be understood that tray 5 may also be formed from nonmetallic materials, in which case corresponding magnets, metal discs, or the like (not shown) must be secured to the bottom of the instrument tray.

in a second embodiment of the surgical treatment tray, illustrated in FIG. 4, instrument tray 5 is removably held to the surface of treatment tray 3 by Velcro mounting strips 40, commercially available from Smalley and Bates, New York, New York. The figure illustrates Velcro mounting strips secured to the treatment tray 3, it being understood that corresponding strips are secured to the bottom of the instrument tray 5, not shown. 7

In a third embodiment of the surgical treatment may, illustrated in FIG. 5, an elongated plate member 45 is mounted adjacent each of the side edges 46, 47 of the treatment tray by means of pins 48 which extend through diagonal slots 49, the latter including a bayonet slot 50. It will thus be seen that plate member 45 is mounted so as to be normally positioned with its longitudinally extending edges flush with the top and bottom surfaces 28, 3|, respectivelyQof the surgical treatment tray and .is adapted to be lifted to a raised position, whereat the pin members 48 rest in the bayonet slots 50, so as to form a side rail. Thus, the surgical instrument tray 5 is held to the top of the treatment tray 3 between the rim 27 of solution basin 4 respectively, the surgical treatment tray is mounted to the and the side rail formed by plate 45.

In a fourth embodiment of the surgical treatment'tray of the invention, illustrated in FIG. 6, instrument tray 5 is removably held to the surface of treatment tray 3 bysuction cups 55 adapted to stick to both the bottom of the surgical instrument tray 5 and to the top surfaces 28 of the surgical treatment tray 3.

With the foregoing description of the embodiments of the surgical treatment apparatus of the invention in mind, as preferably practiced, the surgical treatment method of the invention is asfollows:

A patient having a hand or foot wound is seated in chair 2 and surgical treatment tray 3 is thereafter removably lockably secured to the front of the chair. If a hand wound is to be treated, the tray is secured to the chair in the upper position within arm rests 8, 9, and, if a foot wound is to be treated, the tray is secured to the front of the chair in the lower position, within hollow rods 17, w. Thereafter, the cleansing solution basin 4 is positioned in close, fitted relationship withing the opening 25 in the treatment tray and the surgical instrument tray 5 is removably fixedly positioned to the treatment tray 3 on the side thereof opposite to the wounded extremity being treated. The wounded extremity is then placed in solution basin l for washing and cleansing the wound. Thereafter, the cleansed extremity is placed on the treatment tray 3 on the side thereof opposite the surgical instrument tray 5, where the wound is treated, sutured and bandaged with materials carried in the surgical instrument tray.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific embodiments herein shown and described but departures may be made therefrom without departing from the prin ciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. Surgical treatment apparatus for use in treating hand and foot wounds to human beings, comprising:

a chair having a seat supported by legs and arm rests above the level of the seat; a surgical treatment tray, said tray including central aperture means adapted to removably fittingly receive a cleansing solution basin therein, said central aperture means being of sufficient size to receive a basin in which a persons foot may be fully im mersed, means on opposite sides of said aperture means for removably holding a surgical instrument tray to the top of from one another; means for locating and removably mounting said surgical treatment tray adjacent the front side of said chair at both an arm-rest height and a foot-rest height, said means comprising a pair of parallel, horizontally aligned, hollow rod members secured to said chair on opposite sides of the chair seat at arm-rest level adapted to slidably telescopically receive therein said rod members secured to said surgical treatment tray, and

a pair of parallel, horizontally aligned, hollow rod members secured to the chair legs below the chair seat adapted to slidably telescopically receive therein said rod members secured to said surgical treatment tray; whereby wounded hands and feet may be surgically treated by seating a patient in said chair, attaching said treatment tray thereto at the desired level, and thereafter cleansing and dressing the wound.

2. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, including detent means for lockably securing the treatment tray in the desired position.

3. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said means removably holding said surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray includes an elongated plate member; and means mounting said plate member against the side edge of said treatment tray so as to be normally positioned with its longitudinally extending edges flush with the top and bottom surfaces of said surgical treatment tray and adapted to be lifted to a raised position so as to form a side rail;

whereby said instrument tray is held between said solution basin and said side rail.

4i. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim ll, wherein said instrument tray is formed from a metal and said means removably holding said surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray comprises at least one magnet secured to the top surface of the treatment tray.

5. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim ll, wherein said means removably holding said surgical instru ment tray to the top of said treatment tray comprises at least one pair of mating Velcro" mounting strips secured to the bottom of said instrument tray and the top of said treatment tray.

6. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means removably holding said surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray comprises suction cup means adapted to be stuck to both the bottom of said instrument tray and the top of the treatment tray. 

1. Surgical treatment apparatus for use in treating hand and foot wounds to human beings, comprising: a chair having a seat supported by legs and arm rests above the level of the seat; a surgical treatment tray, said tray including central aperture means adapted to removably fittingly receive a cleansing solution basin therein, said central aperture means being of sufficient size to receive a basin in which a person''s foot may be fully immersed, means on opposite sides of said aperture means for removably holding a surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray, and a pair of rod members secured in planar alignment to the bottom surface thereof and extending perpendicularly outwardly therefrom in parallel directions and spaced from one another; means for locating and removably mounting said surgical treatment tray adjacent the front side of said chair at both an arm-rest height and a foot-rest height, said means comprising a pair of parallel, horizontally aligned, hollow rod members secured to said chair on opposite sides of the chair seat at arm-rest level adapted to slidably telescopically receive therein said rod members secured to said surgical treatment tray, and a pair of parallel, horizontally aligned, hollow rod members secured to the chair legs below the chair seat adapted to slidably telescopically receive therein said rod members secured to said surgical treatment tray; whereby wounded hands and feet may be surgically treated by seating a patient in said chair, attaching said treatment tray thereto at the desired level, and thereafter cleansing and dressing the wound.
 2. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, including detent means for lockably securing the treatment tray in the desired position.
 3. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means removably holding said surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray includes an elongated plate member; and means mounting said plate member against the side edge of said treatment tray so as to be normally positioned with its longitudinally extending edges flush with the top and bottom surfaces of said surgical treatment tray and adapted to be lifted to a raised position so as to form a side rail; whereby said instrument tray is held between said solution basin and said side rail.
 4. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said instrument tray is formed from a metal and said means removably holding said surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray comprises at least one magnet secured to the top surface of the treatment tray.
 5. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means removably holding said surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray comprises at least one pair of mating ''''Velcro'''' mounting strips secured to the bottom of said instrument tray and the top of said treatment tray.
 6. Surgical treatment apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means removably holding said surgical instrument tray to the top of said treatment tray comprises suction cup means adapted to be stuck to both the bottom of said instrument tray and the top of the treatment tray. 